Folding newspaper and sales bench



June 7, 1938. H. J. BocKER' 2,119,559

FOLDING NWSPAPER AND SALES BENCH I Filed April l2, 1937 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE Application April 12,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved foldable display bench, and its leading object is to provide a bench which can be used for selling newspapers, and which when in upright position will provide a table surface on which newspapers or magazines may be displayed, or other mechandise arranged for display, and which may be folded'so that all parts will lie at against each other.

With the above and other objects in view the invention relates to certain new and useful constructions, combinations, and relations of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved folding bench, shown in an upright condition.

Fig. 2 is an an end view thereof, partly broken away, for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the rear corner portion of the bench, showing the manner in which the leg is locked in open position.

Fig. 4 is an edge view, showing the complete bench folded.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, 5 designates the top or horizontal table member of the bench. This member is equipped on its opposite ends with cross cleats or reinforcing bars 6 and 1, shown in Fig. 4.

The cleats or bars 6 and I are hingedly connected at 8 to the end cleats or bars 9 of the front vertical member or board I0, these cleats or bars being secured to the ends of the board I0.

The vertical front member or board I0 is secured in upright position at approximately right angles to the board or table member 5, by means of the folding flat board legs II and I2. 'I'he leg I I, shown in Fig. 3, is hinged to the inside of the vertical board III, by the hinges IIa, so that the leg will abut against the inner edges of the adjacent cleats or bars 6 and 9, and bear against the inner surface or side of the horizontal board 5. The legs Il and I2 are providedwith cleats or reinforcing bars I3, which carry the hinge leaves attached to the legs.

The legs are retained in open positions, by

means of the spring retainers I4, which are fixed to the inner side of the top board 5, and adapted to latch the legs in place, when the legs are shifted to open position.

The legs cannot then accidentally fold under the top member, and the weight of any newspapers, magazine or other articles upon the top member tends to hold the legs in upright open positions.

1937, Serial No. 136,374

The leg member may project below the lower edge of the vertical front board, or may be level with the lower edge of the vertical front board.

When the bench is folded the legs will t in the compartment or space between the inner sides of the top board 5 and the vertical board I0, as the combined thickness of the legs and their hinges will be less than the combined thickness of the paired cleats or bars on each end of the bench. These legs also support the intermediate portions of the boards 5 and I0, when the' bench is folded, so that the boards 5 and I0 will not be broken, when a number of benches are stacked or piled on each other, or loaded with mechandise.

A folding magazine rack board I5 is hinged to the rear top edge of the table board 5, so as to fold forwardly against the top board. This magazine and newspaper display board is provided at its ends with cleats or bars I6 and I1, located at the ends thereof, to which the connecting hinges I B and I9 are secured. Supporting bars or ledges 20 .and 2| are provided on this board I5, being located one above the other.

Retaining wires 22 and 23 are arranged on this board I5, the ends of which are secured to the bars I 6 and I1. In some constructions this folding magazine board may be omitted. This board can be folded on the bench, even if magazines or newspapers, or other articles, are arranged on the ledges thereof.

Having described my invention I claim:-

1. A folding sales bench, consisting of a top board having bars on each end thereof on one side ofthe board, a vertical front board having bars on each end thereof also on one side thereof, said vertical board being hinged to the top board so that the end bars of the vertical board will fold directly over and against the end bars of the top board when the bench is collapsed, and leg board members hinged to the inner side of the vertical board adjacent the end bars of the latter and adapted to fold in open position against the end bars of both boards.

2. The construction Vset forth in claim 1, including a folding board hinged to the top board and adapted to fold against the same, and provided with longitudinalledges and wires for retaining objects on the ledges and provided with end bars which engage the top board, whereby said folding board may be folded against the top board when loaded with flat objects.

y HENRY J. BOCKER. 

